Roll wrapping devices of the prior art generally rotate the article to be wrapped, while a stretchable web or netting material such as thermoplastic film or cloth, or a relatively non-stretchable web material such as paper, is dispensed for wrapping therearound. In the apparatus of the type contemplated by the invention, two support rollers are generally positioned on a horizontal ("lazy susan type") rotatable table while the article is simultaneously rotated about its own horizontal axis. The support rollers are often spaced to accommodate articles of several sizes.
Such devices in the past, have been provided with means for increasing the distance between the support rollers by shifting one of the rollers toward or away from the outer support roller, the position of which is fixed. Thus, when the movable roller is shifted outwardly, the center of gravity of the load shifts, causing the danger of shifting the entire apparatus when the article is extremely heavy.
In the prior art devices, the article is wrapped while it is rotated in one direction about its own horizontal axis and simultaneously rotated about a vertical axis by virtue of the rotating platform upon which the support rollers are positioned. Thus, wrapping the article with these devices is not a very precise operation and control of overlap and wrapping direction is not as effective as would otherwise be desirable. Moreover, once the article is wrapped in this manner, it must be removed to a weighing station for weighing. The delivery and removal of the article to be wrapped to and from the roll wrapping apparatus is also deficient in with respect to the time, effort, and handling problems involved.
Thus, in addition to providing a wrapping which leaves something to be desired, the delivery, wrapping, weighing, and removal operations are time consuming procedures which leave room for improvement. I have invented an apparatus for transporting articles to be roll wrapped as well as to an apparatus for roll wrapping such articles which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.